Starting
Wednesday, March 15, ARRL members will get their chance to suggest the
shape and scope of the new ARRL Certification Program. A Web-based forum
will go "live" that day to start collecting member input on how the program
should be designed and what it should include. ARRL Educational and Technical
Advisor L. B. Cebik, W4RNL, of Knoxville, Tennessee, has been tapped to
serve as the interim forum moderator-facilitator.

"The
first step in this process is to receive the maximum amount of member input
possible to ensure that the program truly serves the needs and desires
of the amateur community," said Cebik, a retired educator whose writings
are familiar to readers of many of the League's publications.

The
forum site is:

http://www.arrl.org/members-only/forums/index.php3.
The Web forum is being moderated to ensure that all member input is
acknowledged and integrated as fully as possible into the emergent program.
Members will be asked to suggest specific programs and areas of study or
skills development they would like to see as part of the Certification
Program. The League also plans to seek outside expert assistance in setting
the optimal knowledge or performance threshold.

"You
are invited to participate as much as you would like in helping us to formulate
the program," Cebik said. "In fact, if you have some special skills or
knowledge, we should also like to know that, since the eventual size of
the program will make it mandatory that we deeply tap the talents and knowledge
of our members."

Cebik's
task will include organizing members' comments and suggestions into a form
that the ARRL staff can use in further developing the program. He points
out that nothing is cast in stone at this point. "For instance, the 'kernel'
list of suggested topics at the forum site may well undergo considerable
revision from time to time in response to member suggestions and ideas,"
he said.

The
ARRL Board of Directors approved the development and implementation of
the self-education program for radio amateurs at its January meeting. The
Certification Program is aimed at inspiring amateurs to continue acquiring
technical knowledge and operating expertise beyond that required to become
licensed.

The
League hopes to have its first certification examinations and related materials
available before the end of the year. The program will continue to evolve
over time, however.

At
age 74, David Clark, KB6TAM, is not resting on a lifetime of accomplishments
as you might expect he'd be doing at this stage of his life. Despite being
"retired," Clark just doesn't enjoy "sitting around." That's why he's taking
a crack at becoming the oldest person to sail solo around the world. On
his long journey, begun in early December from Ft Lauderdale, Florida,
ham radio has provided a welcome link with the world he left behind.

Clark
has been a regular daily check-in on the Maritime Net (14.313 MHz) at between
7 and 8 PM Pacific time. Net members and other hams have patched Clark
through to his wife, Lynda, and to other family members, and helping out
with information. Clark also has satellite communication gear aboard.

Clark
is sailing a 44-foot steel-hulled sloop, the Mollie Milar -- named for
his mother. He's already sailed around the world once -- in 1987 to 1991
-- although not completely alone. A previous solo attempt failed in 1995.

As
of this week, Clark was located in the Pacific some 900 miles from Tahiti
and typically averaging 120 miles a day. The vessel is equipped with a
small auxiliary engine. "He is getting low on propane so is preserving
by limiting his cooking and eating cold beans out of the can," his wife
reported this week after speaking with him via ham radio.

Although
officially "solo," Clark does have a first mate along -- his west highland
terrier, Mickey. Clark expects to arrive in Tahiti in a couple of weeks
or so, depending on the winds. To supplement his Social Security check,
Clark has been playing clarinet gigs at his various ports of call. Corporate
sponsors such as Raytheon have provided equipment, but Clark is financing
his latest adventure out of his own pocket.

SSTV
is really easy! At least receiving it is, and everyone has a license allowing
them to print the pretty pictures. If you have a Sound Blaster-16 compatible
sound card, (most of them are), Windows 98 or better, and an HF rig, here
is what you do. Go to the internet and download Chroma-Pix at:

and
install it onto a computer within reach of the HF rig. This is a shareware
program that shuts itself off after each hour of use, nagging you to send
the author some money.

Go
to the back of your computer and find the "line-in" jack on your sound
card, it is right next to the "line-out" jack that you probably have your
speakers plugged into. Insert a standard (headphone type) mini-plug in
the card, and the other end of the wire will plug into the headphone jack
(or speaker terminals) of your HF rig. Done with the wiring! Run Chroma-Pix
and tune the rig to 14.230 MHz. And fiddle with the HF volume until those
pretty pictures print!

While
you have this wire plugged in, you might as well try the latest digital
operating mode, PSK31 (Phase Shift Keying). Go to: http://aintel.bi.ehu.es/psk31.html
and download Digipan. That's DIGItal PANorama PSK-31 FREEware, and has
a cool spectrum analyzer that works great!

I
had my first PSK-31 QSO with OARS member Ben, N7IVM, (who convinced me
of PSK31's virtues) and then Japan and France and so on. Look for PSK31
around 14.070 MHz, 21.070, 28.070, 28.120 MHz, etc. Of course I had to
add some more wires to transmit, basically the same wiring as a TNC. But
the wire you installed above will do for printing QSOs regardless of your
license class.

I
like the variety of operating different modes. I have worked all states
on three modes so far: CW, SSB, and RTTY. I like having a goal that keeps
me active in Ham radio, just chatting with the Russians won't do.

All
you new General license types may want to start out by contacting every
state (WAS), as one of the fun things to do on HF. The really hard-to-get
states (like Delaware) have special event stations (like K7K!) published
in ARRL QST to help you along.

I
have made a little USA map (page
7) that shows beam headings to the USA which helped me a lot, we are
lucky to be in a corner of the nation, think about it! My map has both
"true north" and magnetic north" numbers. True north is what you read off
the map; magnetic north is what you read off a compass, as you stand under
your antenna rotating the mast with the "Armstrong method."

But
seriously, here is the rub: these programs get the sound card to do some
amazing DSP processing that BY FAR surpasses the performance of any multi-
mode TNC. I kid you not, I have worked RTTY, Amtor, Pactor, HF Packet,
and WeFax on my PK232 TNC for many years, and the humble sound card blows
it away, copying signals I can't even hear with my own ears!

More
simple, more better, what more can you ask for! Go and play on HF!

"Forget
the Snap-On Tools truck; it's never been there when you need it. Besides,
there are only 10 things in this world that you need to fix any car, any
place, any time."

1:
DUCT TAPE: Not just a tool, a veritable Swiss Army knife in stickum and
plastic. It's safety wire, body material, radiator hose, upholstery, insulation,
tow rope, and more -- in an easy to carry package. Sure, there's prejudice
surrounding duct tape in concours competitions, but in the real world,
everything from LeMans-winning Porsches to Atlas rockets use it by the
yard. The only thing that can get you out of more scrapes is a quarter
and a phone booth.

3:
SPRAY LUBRICANTS: A considerably cheaper alternative to new doors, alternator,
and other squeaky items. Slicker than pig phlegm, repeated soakings will
allow the main hull boats of the Andrea Doria to be removed by hand. Strangely
enough, an integral part of these sprays is the infamous Little Red Tube
that flies out of the nozzle if you look at it cross eyed. (One of the
10 worst tools of all time...)

4:
MARGARINE TUBS WITH CLEAR LIDS: If you spend all your time under the hood
looking for a frendle pin that caromed off the pertal valve when you knocked
both off the air cleaner, it's because you eat butter. Real mechanics consume
pounds of vegetable oil replicas just so they can use the empty tubs for
parts containers afterward. (Some of course chuck the butter-colored goo
altogether or use it to re-pack wheel bearings.) Unlike air cleaners and
radiator lips, margarine tubs aren't connected by a time/space wormhole
to the Parallel Universe of Lost Frendle Pins.

5:
BIG ROCK AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD: Block up a tire. Smack corroded battery
terminals. Pound out a dent. Bop noisy know-it-all types on the noodle.
Scientists have yet to develop a hammer that packs the raw banging power
of granite or limestone. This is the only tool with which a "Made in Malaysia"
emblem is not synonymous with the user's maiming.

6:
PLASTIC ZIP TIES: After 20 years of lashing down stray hose and wiring
with old bread ties, some genius brought a slightly slicked-up version
to the auto parts market. Fifteen zip ties can transform a hulking mass
of amateur-quality wiring from a working model of the Brazilian Rain Forest
into something remotely resembling a wiring harness. Of course it works
both ways. When buying a used car, subtract $100 for each zip tie under
the hood.

7:
RIDICULOUSLY LARGE CRAFTSMAN SCREWDRIVER: Let's admit it. There's nothing
better for prying, chiseling, lifting, breaking, splitting, or mutilating
than a huge flat-bladed screwdriver, particularly when wielded with gusto
and a big hammer. This is also the tool of choice for all filters so insanely
located that they can only be removed by driving a stake in one side and
out the other. If you break the screwdriver -- and you will just like Dad
and your shop teacher said -- who cares, it has a lifetime guarantee.

8:
BALING WIRE: Commonly know as MG muffler brackets, baling wire holds anything
that's too hot for tape or ties. Like duct tape, it's not recommended for
concours contenders, since it works so well you'll never need to replace
it with the right thing again. Baling wire is a sentimental favorite in
some circles, particularly with MG, Triumph, and flathead Ford set.

9:
BONKING STICK: This monstrous tuning fork with devilish pointy ends in
technically known as a tie-rod separator, but how often do you separate
tie- rods ends? Once every decade if you're lucky. Other than medieval
combat, its real use is the all-purpose application of undue force, not
unlike that of the huge flat-bladed screwdriver. Nature doesn't know the
bent metal panel or frozen exhaust pipe that can stand up to a good bonking
stick (can also be used to separate tie-rod ends in a pinch, of course,
but does a lousy job of it).

The
transistor was invented on Christmas Day, 1948, by Emily Gerund, a high
school teacher of English from Boston, Massachusetts, who was serving a
20 years-to- life sentence in the state penitentiary for throwing her husband's
coat under a speeding truck. The judge was rather severe with her because
her husband was still in the coat at the time.

The
Governor of the state owned an electronics firm and so was able to provide
surplus vacuum tubes to the prisoners so that they could decorate their
Christmas trees.

Now
Emily had an extremely tiny tree, much too small for a string of SV6s or
even for a single QL4. But she just happened to find some germanium crystals
lying around. She stuck three wires in each one and used them to decorate
her tree. She was quite surprised when after she completed the tree, it
started picking up the Jack Benny Show.

The
Governor, upon learning about this and realizing its implications, immediately
rushed to the prison and offered the English teacher a full pardon in exchange
for the manufacturing rights to her invention. "Of course, Governor," she
replied. "In this case, I'll be glad to let you end a sentence with a proposition."

This
appeared in the August 1999 edition of "Key-Klix", the newsletter of the
Santa Barbara ARC, Terri Mekker, KF6DZK Editor.

The
merit badge plan is based on the concept that a counselor working closely
with a Scout acquaints the boy with an adult knowledgeable in one or more
fields. The counselor introduces the Scout to subjects that may lead to
a career choice or to a lifetime hobby.

From
astronauts to high-tech patent holders to corporate officers in the electronics
industry, many people's careers grew out of their early involvement in
Amateur Radio. Today's youngsters need a chance to expand their horizons
both intellectually and socially through wholesome, challenging and constructive
activities.

The
millions of boys who can now be exposed to Amateur Radio through Scouting
may not have that opportunity in years to come. Though we can't realistically
expect "Radio" to compete with required badges such as cooking, camping
and first aid with active counselors, we have the opportunity to reach
thousands of 11- to 14- year- old Scouts. We're betting that with your
experience and enthusiasm for Amateur Radio, many of those Scouts will
quickly outgrow the limitations of the Radio Merit Badge and seek your
help in earning their tickets.

Though
earning the badge represents a significant achievement to a Scout, he still
can't transmit with it.

Do
You Qualify?

Merit
badge counselors do not necessarily have to register as adult Scouters,
but they must meet Scouting's membership requirements. They must be men
and women of good character over age 18, recognized as having the skills
and education in the subjects for which they are to serve as merit badge
counselors, as well as having the ability to work with Scout-age boys.

What's
the first step? Get the approval of your regional BSA Council. They'll
explain the merit badge counselor's role. Start with a local Boy Scout
troop. If you're a newcomer to Scouting, simply call your local Council
office; most are listed in the white pages of the telephone book under
"Boy Scouts of America." Tell them you want to register as a counselor
for the Radio Merit Badge and they'll put you in touch with the right person
at the District or Council level.

They'll
want your name, address and phone number, and permission to release them
in a listing of the Council's merit badge counselors. The list is distributed
annually to all Scout troops in your area. They'll also want to know why
you're interested in becoming a radio merit badge counselor and what your
qualifications are. The fact that you're an FCC-licensed radio amateur
and an adult who knows the importance of a youngster's developing an interest
in the sciences, a familiarity with modern technology, a first- hand appreciation
of other cultures and a personal sense of citizenship in the world should
be sufficient.

The
Boy Scouts publish a series of booklets covering the requirements and some
instructional information on the merit badges. Pick up a copy of the latest
book for the Radio merit Badge from your Council office or local Scouting
supplier. And finally, the requirements for the Radio Merit Badge are shown
below.

I
feel that if Amateur Radio is to flourish in the 21st Century, then we
must educate our youth about the wonderful world of Amateur Radio.

Requirements:

1.
Explain what radio is. Include in your explanation: the differences between
broadcast radio and hobby radio, and the differences between broadcasting
and two-way communicating. Also discuss broadcast radio and Amateur Radio
call signs and using phonetics.

2.
Sketch a diagram showing how radio waves travel locally and around the
world. How do the broadcast radio stations, WWV and WWVH, help determine
what you will hear when you listen to a radio?

3.
Do the following:

a.
Draw a chart of the electromagnetic spectrum covering 100 kilohertz to
1000 megahertz. b. Label the MF, HF, VHF, UHF, and microwave portions of
the spectrum on your diagram. c. Locate on your chart at least eight radio
services such as AM and FM commercial broadcast, CB, television, Amateur
Radio (at least 4 ham radio frequency bands), and police. d. Discuss why
some radio stations are called DX and others are called local. Explain
who the FCC and the ITU are.

4.
Explain how radio waves carry information. Include in your explanation:
transceiver, transmitter, amplifier, and antenna.

5.
Learn some safety precautions for working with radio gear, particularly
Direct Current and RF grounding.

6.
Do the following:

a.
Explain the difference between a block diagram and a schematic diagram.
b. Draw a block diagram which includes a transceiver, microphone, antenna,
antenna switch, dummy antenna and feedline. c. Explain the difference between
an open circuit, a closed circuit and a short circuit. d. Draw 10 schematic
symbols. Explain what 3 of these parts do. Match 3 electrical components
to 3 of these symbols.

7.
Do one of the following (a, b, or c):

a.
AMATEUR RADIO

1.
Describe some of the activities that Amateur Radio operators can do on-the-
air, once they earn a license.

2.
Carry on a 10-minute real or simulated ham radio contact using voice or
Morse code; use proper call signs, Q signals and abbreviations. (Licensed
ham radio operators may substitute five QSL cards as evidence of contacts
with Amateur Radio operators in at least three different call districts).

3.
With the help of a local Amateur Radio operator, talk to and properly log
at least 2 voice or 2 Morse code radio contacts. Record signal reports.
Explain how often Amateur Radio operators must give their call signs during
a radio contact.

4.
Explain at least five Q signals or Amateur Radio terms you heard while
listening.

5.
Explain some differences between the Novice Class license and the Technician
Class license requirements and privileges. Explain who gives Amateur Radio
exams.

6.
Explain how you would make an emergency call on voice or Morse code. Tell
why the FCC has an Amateur Radio service.

1.
Prepare a program schedule for radio station "KBSA" of exactly one-half
hour, including music, news, commercials, and proper station identification.
Record your program on audio tape using proper techniques.

2.
Listen to and properly log 15 broadcast stations; determine for five of
these their transmitting power and general areas served.

3.
Explain at least eight terms used in commercial broadcasting, such as segue,
cut and fade.

4.
Discuss the educational and licensing requirements and career opportunities
in broadcast radio.

c.
SHORTWAVE LISTENING

1.
Listen across several shortwave bands for two 4-hour periods, in the early
morning, the other in the early evening. Log the stations properly and
locate them geographically on a globe.

2.
For several major foreign stations (BBC in Great Britain or HCJB in Ecuador,
for example) list several frequency bands used by each.

3.
Compare your morning and evening logs, noting the frequencies on which
your selected stations were loudest during each session. Explain the differences
in signal strength from one period to the next.

4.
Discuss the purpose of and careers in shortwave communications.

8.
Visit a radio installation approved in advance by your counselor (ham radio
station, broadcast station, or public service communications center, for
example). Discuss what types of equipment you saw in use, how it was used,
what types of license are needed to operate and maintain the equipment,
and the purpose of the station.